JP7016916B2 - Media transfer mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a media transport mechanism, and more particularly to a media transport mechanism that sandwiches and transports media by a drive roll and a driven roll.

In the present specification, the term "media" refers to various recording media made of paper such as plain paper, as well as resin materials such as PVC and polyester, metal materials such as aluminum and iron, cloth, and wood. Various materials such as are included.

Conventionally, for example, an image creation and clipping device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-33510 presented as Patent Document 1 has been known.

In the image creation and clipping device disclosed in Patent Document 1, a configuration in which a drive roll and a driven roll are paired on a platen extending in the moving direction of the ink head and the cutting head is spaced apart from each other. It is equipped with a plurality of media transfer mechanisms arranged on a straight line.

The drive rolls are each rotated by a drive motor, and the driven rolls are constantly in contact with the drive rolls in a state of being pressed by the drive rolls by a predetermined pressure. The surface of the driven roll is coated with, for example, a rubber material in order to improve the grip on the media.

Then, in the media transport mechanism, the media is sandwiched between the drive roll and the driven roll, and the sandwiched media is conveyed in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the ink head and the cutting head by rotating the drive roll.

By the way, in such a media transport mechanism, a driven roll located between both ends in a moving direction such as an ink head (in order to reliably hold the media and leave no roll marks in the printing and cutting area). That is, it is a driven roll located at a position other than both ends, and hereinafter, appropriately referred to as a "driven roll located at the center"), the pressing force is made smaller than the pressing force of the driven roll located at both ends. rice field.

At this time, the outer peripheral surfaces of the driven rolls located at both ends and the driven rolls located at the center are coated with a rubber material having the same rubber hardness.

However, the difference in pushing pressure between the driven rolls located at both ends and the driven roll located at the center causes a difference in the grip force of the driven rolls with respect to the media, and the driven rolls located at both ends and the driving rolls carry the balls. There was a difference between the amount and the amount carried by the driven roll and the drive roll located in the center.

That is, the amount of transport at both ends where the driven roll is pressing the drive roll with a high pressure is larger than the amount of transport at the central portion where the driven roll is pressing the drive roll with a low pressure.

It has been pointed out that this causes problems such as the conveyed media buckling and the media coming into contact with the ink head and the cutting head.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-33510

The present invention has been made in view of various problems of the prior art as described above, and an object of the present invention is to provide a media transport mechanism for preventing buckling of the transported media. It is something to do.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a media transport mechanism for transporting media in a predetermined direction, in which a first drive roll is arranged side by side along a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction and is located at an end thereof. And a second drive roll located at a position other than the end portion, at least three or more drive rolls driven by the drive means, and an outer peripheral surface formed of a rubber material having a first rubber hardness, said first. A first driven roll that comes into contact with the drive roll while being pressed against the drive roll, and a rubber material having a second rubber hardness whose outer peripheral surface is smaller than the first rubber hardness, and the bullet is pressed against the second drive roll. A test medium consisting of a second driven roll in contact, an adjusting means capable of adjusting the pressure of the first driven roll on the first driving roll, and the first driven roll and the first driving roll. A measuring means for measuring the first transport amount and the second transport amount of the test media by the second driven roll and the second drive roll, the first transport amount of the test media, and the first. It has a storage unit for storing the transfer amount of 2, and when the first transfer amount is larger than the second transfer amount, the pressure of the first driven roll on the first drive roll is reduced. The test media stored in the storage unit so as to increase the pressure of the first driven roll on the first drive roll when the first transport amount is smaller than the second transport amount. A microcomputer that controls the adjusting means to adjust the pressure of the first driven roll on the first driving roll based on the difference between the first transport amount and the second transport amount. After adjusting the pressure of the first driven roll on the first drive roll, the first drive roll and the first driven roll, and the second drive roll and the second drive roll are provided. The media is sandwiched and conveyed by the driven roll of the above.

According to a preferred embodiment, the pressure of the second driven roll on the second drive roll and the second rubber hardness are such that the second driven roll and the second driven roll provide the media. It is set so that roll marks are not visually confirmed on the surface of the media when it is sandwiched and conveyed.

According to another preferred embodiment, the first driven roll is formed in a tapered shape whose diameter decreases toward the side where the second driven roll is located, and the second driven roll has a cylindrical shape. Is formed in.

According to another preferred embodiment, the rubber material of the first driven roll is urethane rubber or H-NBR having a thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm, and the rubber material of the second driven roll is thick. 2 to 5 mm urethane rubber or H-NBR.

According to another preferred embodiment, the measuring means includes a first sensor arranged in the vicinity of the first driven roll and a second sensor arranged in the vicinity of the second driven roll. Includes.

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the amount of transportation by the driven roll and the driving roll located at both ends and the amount of transportation by the driven roll and the driving roll located at the center become uniform. It has an excellent effect of preventing buckling of the conveyed media. This is particularly effective for thin media that tend to buckle and media that have a slippery back surface (the side that comes into contact with the drive roll).

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration perspective explanatory view of an image creating and clipping device provided with a media transport mechanism according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is an arrow view of the base member showing the configuration of a main part of the image creation and clipping device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3A is a schematic configuration explanatory view of the pressing device, and FIG. 3B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a nip width. FIG. 4 is a block configuration explanatory diagram showing a functional configuration of a microcomputer. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are explanatory views showing a driven roll and a driving roll that convey a test medium.

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the media transfer mechanism according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration perspective explanatory view of an image creation and clipping device provided with a media transfer mechanism according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a main part of the image creation and clipping device shown in FIG. A perspective view of the base member showing the configuration of the above is shown.

The image-creating and clipping device 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a fixed base member 14 supported by a base member 12 and extended in the main scanning direction.

A side member 16L and a side member 16R are arranged on the left and right ends of the base member, respectively.

A guide rail 20 is arranged on the wall surface of the central wall 18 connecting the two left and right side members 16L and 16R so as to extend in the main scanning direction.

A cutting head 24 is slidably arranged on the guide rail 20.

Further, a wire 22 is arranged so as to be movable in the main scanning direction in parallel with the wall surface of the central wall 18, and a cutting head 24 is fixedly arranged on the wire 22.

Further, an ink head 28 is slidably arranged on the guide rail 20 on the right side of the cutting head 24, and the cutting head 24 and the ink head 28 are connected to each other via a connecting device (not shown). It has a removable structure.

The cutting head 24 and the ink head 28 are arranged so as to correspond to the sheet 26 which is a medium located on the base member 14.

The overall operation of the image creation and clipping device 10 is controlled by the microcomputer 50 mounted in the side member 16R, and the sheet 26 is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction in FIG. ..

Here, the base member 14 includes a platen 30 extending in the main scanning direction facing the cutting head 24 and the ink head 28 on the lower side of the cutting head 24 and the ink head 28.

A plurality of (at least three or more) drive rolls 32 are arranged on the platen 30 along the main scanning direction, and the drive rolls 32 (that is, the drive rolls 32) located at the left and right end portions are arranged. The drive rolls 32 located at both ends) are in contact with the driven rolls 34L and 34R while pressing the drive roll 32 by the first pressure, and the drive rolls 34L and 34R are located at the left and right ends. On the drive roll 32 located between the rolls 32 (that is, the drive roll 32 other than the drive roll 32 located at the left and right end portions, and the drive roll 32 located at the center portion). Is in contact with the driven roll 36 while pressing the drive roll 32 by the second pressure.

In the image creation and clipping device 10, a media transfer mechanism is configured around the drive roll 32 and the driven rolls 34L, 34R, 36. That is, the seat 26 is sandwiched between the drive roll 32 and the driven rolls 34L, 34R, 36, and the drive roll 32 is rotated in a predetermined direction by the drive of the drive device (not shown), so that the seat is in the sub-scanning direction. 26 is transported.

More specifically, the driven rolls 34L and 34R have a substantially cylindrical shape formed in a tapered shape, and the driven roll 34L on the left side is arranged so that the diameter decreases toward the right side and is arranged on the right side. The driven roll 34R on the side is arranged so that the diameter decreases toward the left side.

Further, a pressing device 38 is connected to the driven rolls 34L and 34R, and the pressing force on the drive roll 32 is adjusted by the pressing device 38, for example, in the range of 2 to 8 kgf.

That is, the pressing device 38 is connected to the cam 40 that rotates under the control of the microcomputer 50, the elevating plate 42 that moves up and down by the rotation of the cam, and the driven rolls 34L and 34R, and the support portion 44-1 by raising and lowering the elevating plate 42. It is configured to have a rotating member 44 that rotates around the fulcrum to change the pressing force on the drive roll 32 (see FIG. 3A).

The rotation of the cam 40 is controlled by a drive unit (not shown), and the microcomputer 50 controls the rotation of the cam 40 by controlling the drive of the drive unit.

The outer peripheral surfaces of the driven rolls 34L and 34R are coated with, for example, urethane rubber as a rubber material to a thickness of, for example, 0.5 to 2 mm.

Further, the urethane rubber coated on the outer peripheral surfaces of the driven rolls 34L and 34R has a rubber hardness of A90 °, for example.

A sensor 46 for detecting predetermined information for calculating the amount of media conveyed is arranged in the vicinity of the driven rolls 34L and 34R (see FIGS. 3A and 5A). The predetermined information detected by the sensor 46 is output to the calculation unit 56 (described later), and the calculation unit 56 calculates the amount of media conveyed by the drive roll 32 and the driven rolls 34L and 34R. Will be done.

The driven roll 36 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the outer peripheral surface thereof is coated with, for example, urethane rubber as a rubber material to a thickness of, for example, 2 to 5 mm.

The urethane rubber coated on the outer peripheral surface of the driven roll 36 is smaller than the rubber hardness of the urethane rubber coated on the outer peripheral surfaces of the driven rolls 34L and 34R, for example, the rubber hardness is A55 ± 5 °.
Further, the driven roll 36 is in contact with the drive roll 32 in a state where the drive roll 32 is pressed with a predetermined pressure. The predetermined pressure is, for example, 2 to 3 kgf.

Here, although detailed description is omitted, the rubber hardness of the urethane rubber coated on the outer peripheral surface of the driven roll 36 is set to A90 ° and A55 ± 5 ° by the inventor of the present application. An experiment was conducted to visually confirm the presence or absence of roll marks on the surface of the sheet 26 due to the driven roll 36. When the rubber hardness was A90 °, roll marks could be visually confirmed on the surface of the sheet 26, but the rubber hardness was 55 ±. An experimental result was obtained that the roll mark could not be visually confirmed on the surface of the sheet 26 at 5 °.

Further, in the vicinity of the predetermined driven roll 36 among the plurality of driven rolls 36, a sensor 48 for detecting predetermined information for calculating the amount of media conveyed is arranged (FIG. 5B). Refer to), the predetermined information detected by the sensor 48 is output to the calculation unit 56 (described later), and the amount of media conveyed by the drive roll 32 and the driven roll 36 in the calculation unit 56. Is calculated.

Assuming that the pressing force is P and the nip width is W, the rubber hardness A of the driven roll 36 satisfies the following equation (1), and when the sheet 26 is actually conveyed, the driven roll 36 is on the surface of the sheet 26. It is set so that the roll traces due to the above are not conspicuous and stable transport force (reciprocating reciprocating accuracy) can be obtained.

W∝A ^-1 , P ... (1)

The nip width means the length of the adhesive surface of the driven rolls 34L, 34R, 36 with the sheet 26 in the sub-scanning direction (see FIG. 3B).

The microcomputer 50 includes a control unit 52 that controls each component based on print data and cutting data to perform printing processing and cutting processing, a storage unit 54 that stores various information such as print data and cutting data, and a storage unit 54. The calculation unit 56 that calculates the transfer amount of the sheet 26 from the detection result detected by the sensor 46, and the rotation amount of the cam 40 are calculated from the transfer amount of the sheet 26 calculated by the calculation unit 56, and the cam 40 is calculated based on the calculation result. It is configured to have a rotation control unit 58 for controlling rotation.

The calculation unit 56 acquires the data detected by the sensor 46, and calculates the transport amount of the sheet 26 based on the acquired data.

Further, the rotation control unit 58 controls the drive of the drive unit (not shown) from the transport amount of the seat 26 calculated by the calculation unit 56 to control the rotation amount of the cam 40.

In the above configuration, when the printing process or the cutting process is performed by the image creation and clipping device 10, first, the pressing force of the driven rolls 34L and 34R is adjusted according to the medium to be used.

First, a test medium obtained by cutting a sheet 26 into strips having a predetermined length is sandwiched between a predetermined driven roll 36 and a driving roll 32 in which a sensor 46 is arranged in the vicinity thereof, and the driven roll 36 and the driving roll 32 hold the test media. The transport amount is calculated (see FIG. 5 (b)).

Specifically, when the user operates the controller to instruct the calculation of the transport amount by the driven roll 36, the drive device (not shown) is driven to drive the test media in the sub-scanning direction (for example, backward). Move from side to front).

When the driven roll 36 gives an instruction to calculate the transport amount, the sensor 48 is activated to acquire predetermined information from the test media transported in the sub-scanning direction.

Then, when the predetermined information is acquired by the sensor 48, the calculation unit 56 calculates the amount of transportation by the driven roll 36 and the driving roll 32.

The calculated transfer amount by the driven roll 36 and the driving roll 32 is output to the storage unit 54 and stored.

Next, the test media is sandwiched between the driven roll 34L and the driving roll 32 on the left side, and the amount of transportation by the driven roll 34L and the driving roll 32 is adjusted (see FIG. 5A).

Specifically, when the user operates the controller to instruct the adjustment of the transport amount by the driven roll 34L, the drive device (not shown) is driven to drive the test media in the sub-scanning direction (for example, backward). Move from side to front).

When the driven roll 34L gives an instruction to adjust the transport amount, the sensor 46 is activated to acquire predetermined information from the test media transported in the sub-scanning direction.

Then, when the predetermined information is acquired by the sensor 46, the calculation unit 56 calculates the amount of transportation by the driven roll 34L and the driving roll 32.

The calculated transfer amount by the driven roll 34L and the driving roll 32 is output to the storage unit 54 and stored.

When the amount of transportation by the driven roll 34L and the driving roll 32 was calculated, the rotation control unit 58 calculated and calculated the amount of rotation of the cam 40 required to match the amount of transportation by the driven roll 36 and the driving roll 32. The cam 40 is rotated based on the amount of rotation to adjust the pressing force of the driven roll 34L.

That is, the elevating plate 42 rises or falls due to the rotation of the cam 40. Then, when the elevating plate 42 rises, the rotating member rotates in the direction of arrow B, and the pressing force of the driven roll 34L on the drive roll 32 becomes smaller. On the other hand, when the elevating plate 42 is lowered by the rotation of the cam 40, the rotating member rotates in the direction of arrow C, and the pressing force of the driven roll 34L on the drive roll 32 increases.

After that, the test media is sandwiched between the driven roll 34R and the driving roll 32 on the right side, and the amount of transportation by the driven roll 34R and the driving roll 32 is adjusted (see FIG. 5A).

Specifically, when the user operates the controller to instruct the adjustment of the transport amount by the driven roll 34R, the drive device (not shown) is driven to drive the test media in the sub-scanning direction (for example, backward). Move from side to front).

When the driven roll 34R gives an instruction to adjust the transport amount, the sensor 46 is activated to acquire predetermined information from the test media transported in the sub-scanning direction.

Then, when the predetermined information is acquired by the sensor 46, the calculation unit 56 calculates the amount of transportation by the driven roll 34R and the driving roll 32.

The calculated transfer amount by the driven roll 34R and the driving roll 32 is output to the storage unit 54 and stored.

When the transfer amount of the driven roll 34R and the drive roll 32 was calculated, the rotation control unit 58 calculated and calculated the rotation amount of the cam 40 required to match the transfer amount by the driven roll 36 and the drive roll 32. The cam 40 is rotated based on the rotation amount to adjust the pressing amount of the driven roll 34R.

That is, the elevating plate 42 rises or falls due to the rotation of the cam 40. Then, when the elevating plate 42 rises, the rotating member rotates in the direction of arrow B, and the pressing force of the driven roll 34R on the drive roll 32 becomes smaller. On the other hand, when the elevating plate 42 is lowered by the rotation of the cam 40, the rotating member rotates in the direction of arrow C, and the pressing force of the driven roll 34R on the drive roll 32 increases.

As for the process of calculating the amount of media conveyed by using the sensors 46 and 48 described above, a conventionally known technique can be used, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In this way, the pressing force of the driven rolls 34L and 34R is adjusted so that the amount conveyed by the driven roll 34L and the drive roll 32, the amount conveyed by the driven roll 34R and the drive roll 32, and the driven roll 36 and the drive roll 32 are adjusted. After the sheet 26 is sandwiched between the driven rolls 34L, 34R, 36 and the driving roll 32, the sheet 26 is subjected to a printing process or a cutting process.

As described above, in the image creation and clipping device 10 provided with the media transport mechanism according to the present invention, the driven rolls 34L and 34R located at the left and right end portions are tapered and the driven rolls 34L are formed. , The media transfer amount by the driven rolls 34L, 34R and the drive roll 32 can be adjusted according to the media transfer amount by the driven roll 36 and the drive roll 32 located between 34R.

Further, the outer peripheral surface of the driven roll 36 is coated with urethane rubber to a thickness of 2 to 5 mm, and the urethane rubber coated on the driven roll 36 is smaller than the rubber hardness of the urethane rubber coated on the driven rolls 34L and 34R. I tried to be.

As a result, in the image creation and clipping device 10 provided with the media transport mechanism according to the present invention, the grip force of the driven roll 36 located at the center with respect to the sheet 26 is improved, and the driven rolls 34L, 34R and the driven rolls 34R located at both ends are improved. The difference between the amount conveyed by the drive roll 32 and the amount conveyed by the driven roll 36 and the drive roll 32 located at the center becomes small.

Further, in the image creation and clipping device 10 provided with the media transfer mechanism according to the present invention, the amount of media conveyed by the driven rolls 34L, 34R and the drive roll 32 can be adjusted according to the media used.

As a result, according to the image creation and clipping device 10 provided with the media transport mechanism according to the present invention, buckling of the transported media can be prevented more reliably.

In particular, it is effective for thin media and media whose back surface (the surface that comes into contact with the drive roll 32) is slippery.

The above-described embodiment may be modified as shown in (1) to (6) below.

(1) In the above-described embodiment, the outer peripheral surfaces of the driven rolls 34L, 34R, and 36 are coated with urethane rubber as a rubber material, but the rubber material is not limited to this. As the rubber, H-NBR (Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, hydrided acrylonitrile butadiene rubber) may be coated instead of the urethane rubber.

Even when H-NBR is coated, the rubber hardness of H-NBR in the driven roll 36 is smaller than that of H-NBR in the driven rolls 34L and 34R, for example, in the driven rolls 34L and 34R. The rubber hardness of H-NBR is A90 °, and the rubber hardness of H-NBR in the driven roll 36 is A55 ± 5 °.

(2) In the above-described embodiment, the outer peripheral surfaces of the driven rolls 34L, 34R, 36 are coated with a rubber material, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the driven rolls 34L, 34R, 34R are of course not limited to this. , 36 may be formed of a rubber material, and the point is that the outer peripheral surfaces of the driven rolls 34L, 34R, 36 may be formed of a rubber material having a predetermined thickness.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, the rotation control unit 58 calculates the rotation amount of the cam 40, and based on the calculated rotation amount, drives the drive unit (not shown) to rotate the cam 40. By doing so, the pressing force of the driven rolls 34L and 34R is adjusted, but it is of course not limited to this.

That is, a mechanism capable of rotating the cam 40 by the user is provided without providing a drive unit (not shown), and the mechanism is based on the rotation amount of the cam 40 calculated by the rotation control unit 58. The user may be informed of the control method of the above, and the user may rotate the cam 40 by controlling the mechanism based on the control method.

(4) In the above-described embodiment, the pressing force of the driven rolls 34L and 34R can be adjusted by the pressing device 38, but the pressing device 38 is of course not limited to this, and the pressing device 38 is provided. You may not have it.

As a result, the number of parts can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the image creation and clipping device 10 can be suppressed.

(5) In the above-described embodiment, the media transport mechanism according to the present invention is used for the image creation and clipping device, but it is of course not limited to this, and the media transport according to the present invention is used. The mechanism may be used for various devices that need to convey media, such as a cutting plotter that performs a cutting process and a foil stamping device that performs a foil stamping process.

(6) In the above-described embodiment, the above-mentioned embodiment and the above-mentioned modifications (1) to (5) may be appropriately combined.

The present invention is suitable for use in a media transport device that transports various media in a predetermined direction.

10 Image creation and clipping device, 26 sheets, 32 drive rolls, 34L, 34R, 36 driven rolls, 38 pressing devices, 40 cams, 42 lift plates, 44 rotating members, 46 sensors, 50 microcomputers, 56 calculators, 58 Rotation control unit

Claims (5)

In a media transport mechanism that transports media in a predetermined direction,
At least three driven by a drive means, including a first drive roll located at the end and a second drive roll located outside the end, juxtaposed along a direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. With the above drive roll,
A first driven roll whose outer peripheral surface is formed of a rubber material having a first rubber hardness and is in contact with the first drive roll while being pressed against the first drive roll.
A second driven roll whose outer peripheral surface is formed of a rubber material having a second rubber hardness smaller than that of the first rubber hardness and which is in contact with the second drive roll while being pressed against the second drive roll.
An adjusting means capable of adjusting the pressure of the first driven roll on the first driving roll, and
The first transport amount of the test media by the first driven roll and the first drive roll , and the second transport amount of the test media by the second driven roll and the second drive roll. Measuring means to measure and
The test media has a storage unit for storing the first transport amount and the second transport amount, and when the first transport amount is larger than the second transport amount, the driven roll of the first driven roll is said to have a storage unit. The pressure on the first drive roll is reduced, and when the first transport amount is smaller than the second transport amount, the pressure on the first drive roll of the first driven roll is increased. Based on the difference between the first transport amount and the second transport amount of the test media stored in the storage unit, the adjusting means is controlled to drive the first driven roll. With a microcomputer that regulates the pressure on the roll ,
After adjusting the pressure of the first driven roll on the first drive roll, the first drive roll and the first driven roll, and the second drive roll and the second driven roll A media transport mechanism characterized by sandwiching and transporting the media. The pressure of the second driven roll on the second drive roll and the hardness of the second rubber are obtained when the media is sandwiched between the second drive roll and the second driven roll and conveyed. The media transport mechanism according to claim 1, wherein roll marks are not visually confirmed on the surface of the media. The first driven roll is formed in a tapered shape whose diameter decreases toward the side where the second driven roll is located.
The media transfer mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second driven roll is formed in a cylindrical shape. The rubber material of the first driven roll is urethane rubber or H-NBR having a thickness of 0.5 to 2 mm.
The media transfer mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rubber material of the second driven roll is urethane rubber or H-NBR having a thickness of 2 to 5 mm. The measuring means includes a first sensor arranged in the vicinity of the first driven roll and a second sensor arranged in the vicinity of the second driven roll, claim 1 to 1. The media transfer mechanism according to any one of 4.

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